Process for purification of potable and polluted waters



Patented July 30, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR PURIFICATION OF POTABLE AND POLLUTED WATERS Oliver M. Urbain and William. R... Stemen, Columbus, Ohio, assignors toCharles 'H; Lewis, Harpster, Ohio No Drawlng.. Application October 27, 1934,

Serial No. 750,388

'1 Claims. (Cl. 210-23) The process of the present invention relates to suspendedand colloidal matter, are given as folthe purification of both potable and polluted lows:- waters. By potable waters is meant water which is being purified for domestic consumption by the Waste may 5 inhabitants of a community 20 In the purification of potable water three factors are of prime importance, namely, first, sanigi l te siz v v' i age.. tary quality, i. e., content of bacteria, second, g 3 2g tastes and odors, and third, hardness. ery waste 1 The tastes and odors in potable water are due gggifii g'figgijiygii &8 10

to the presence in the water of organic compounds which have their Origin in deCPmWSlPg The elimination'of the 13.0.1); oi the true soluoreenic matter cr the Passage of mdustrlfll tion fractionof the various wastes is a problem wastes into the crlslhel Watershed- Bacterlaof considerable magnitude. It is to the solution algae, amoeba and many other forms of ammal oi this robiemin the field of pollutedliduids and and vegetable life are responsible for the tastes to the problem of eliminating the tastes and a d Odo d to the composition 0f Organic odors frompotable .w'atersupplies thatthe prester wh c W d in DQtable Water supphesent invention is directed. The applications of M p water supplies are also ccnte-mlthe process are somewhat different, that is, the

N nated with phenols. Such is the case in many process is varied to meet varying conditions cities located on the Ohio River and the Great The material employed in the process consists Lakes. Eve a few hundredths of of aminated chlorinated-coal; The constituents of phenols will result in a bad taste and odor in f the material whichactuany do t work are the finished water which has been chlorinated.v the m cmorine derivatives of coal, and

These tastes and odo are due in lflrge'pal't to their derivatives. Therefore, when the words chlorophenols and chloroclesolsaminated chlorinated coal are used in this For the pu pos o removlns tastes and odors specification ehdthe claims, it will be understood in PO fl Water Supplies, activated carbons are that they are inclusive of the aminated chlorine now employed. The powdered carbon is added derivatives of coal, and their derivatives.

I) to the water before coagulation, and, after its In t preparation of th b e t i l we maction iS complete, is coagulated from the water ploy powdered coal such as subsbituminous bituwith aluminum sulfate a d e ofl The minous or anthracite-coal, powdered to pass activated carbons used for this purpo are quite through a 5 mesh to 20 mesh screen; The'coal expensive and constitute an important item in is chlorinated at a, temperature varying from the fi al Costs o Purificationroom temperature to 125 C. bypassing chlorine The present invention contemplates the use gas throughthe mass. Above 125 the chlorine of a material which is not only much less excompounds decompose, so care should be taken I pensive but which also will remove co id rably to keep the temperature below this critical point. mo e o the taste and Odor Producing c In this chlorination process, catalysts such as 40 pounds per unit of weight, and accomplish this iron, iodine, sulfur orv lead may to advantage result in less time than the activated carbons now be employed, though their use :is" not essential. employed for the purpose. It is more efllcient for The temperature of the coal mass risessomewhat th pu p se m a y a l w i a b conduring chlorination. Hydrochloric-acid gas and sidered. water vapor are copiously given off. Smaller 46' In the purification of polluted water as distinquantities of carbon oxides, hydrocarbons and guished from potable water, the requirements are chlorinated hydrocarbons are given off. quite diflerent. In this case the problem involved The product of such chlorinationcontains subis one applied to the removal 01' organic comstantial amounts of chlorine by weight. The perpounds which are in true solution, and which centase f hl n d p p the following W are responsible for the B. O. D. (biochemical oxyfactors:- 7

gen demand) of a polluted water after the sus- 1. Fineness of the coal pended matter and the colloidal matter has been 2. Nature or kind or coal removed. This B. O. D. varies greatly for the di15 3. Temperature of chlorination ierent wastes. The B. O. D. of a few representa- 4. Pressure 6 tlve polluted liquids, after the removal 01 the 5. Time of chlorination The finer the coal, the higher the temperature up to 0., the higher the pressure, and the longer the time of contact to complete chlorination, the higher will be the percentage of chlorine in the finished product. The chlo:-.

rinated coal is more porous than the original; ,j coal, therefore it has a greater surface exposure.

The fragility of the chlorinated coal is not appreciably different from that of the original coal when hard coals are employed. When soft coals are employed, the chlorinated product is much harder than the originalcoal. The chlorination should be carried out in an apparatus made of materials capable of withstanding the action of hydrochloric acid.

The action of the chlorine on the coal may be expressed by the following factors:

1. Chlorine substitutes for hydrogen in the hydrocarbon part of the so-called coal conglomerate.

2. Chlorine oxidizes certain groupings and opens up the ring structures.

3. Chlorine adds to the unsaturated points in the coal.

4. Chlorine adds to the unsaturated points made under #2.

5. Chlorine renders soluble the inactive inorganic constituents (coal ash) of the coal, such as iron and its compounds, sulfur and the alkaline earth metal compounds, which, upon removal by washing, open up the coal structure, increasing the active surface of the mass.

6. Chlorine activates the surface of the mass by shifting the adsorbed and absorbed gases.

By aminating the chlorinated coal we are able to increase its activity towardscertain groups of organic compounds. The amination is effected by treating the chlorinated coal with ammonia, or with any of the amines, or a mixture of both. The amination may be accomplished by treating the chlorinated coal with the aqueous reagents or the reagents in gaseous form. The amination will proceed at greater speed when cuprous chloride is employed as a catalyst but the use of a catalyst is not necessary for complete amination. Higher pressure and higher temperatures speed up the amination reactions. The aminated material, after exhaustion, may be regenerated by back washing with a solution of any of the hydroxides of the alkali metals or the alkaline earth metals.

The aminated material is especially active in removing organic acids, aldehydes, ketones, mercaptans and the phenols.

This material isthen especially adapted for use in treating the wastes from coke oven industries and kindred works, since the aminated chlorinated coal product is especially adapted for removing phenols and chlorophenols from water. Only a few minutes contact, ordinarily not exceeding 15 or 20 minutes, is necessary for complete removal of such compounds.

In the treatment of water, themode of application may be by a filter arrangement or by adding the material in a finely powdered condition directly to the water to be treated, followed by adequate agitation and subsequent coagulation. If used as a filter, the particle size of the material should be from 5 mesh to 10 mesh; it added directly to the water the fineness may be such that the particle will pass through a 40 mesh screen.

By using aminated chlorinated coal as a filter material, one not only obtains a splendid mechanical filter but an extremely active chemical filter as well.

'I'he mechanism of the removal of the organic compounds by chlorinated coal, are as follows:

1. Sorption 2. Metathesis 3. Addition (chemical) When used as a filter a time period of contact of approximately 20 minutes will be found adequate. The filter may constitute the last step in a complete purification treatment. The size of the filter is of no importance so long as a suitable time period of contact is provided for.

When used in the powdered form, the aminated chlorinated coal is added just ahead of the coagulat'ion step and given approximately 15 minutes of agitation. When used in potable water purification, the aminated chlorinated coal is added before or during the coagulation step and agitated for aboutrfifteen (15) minutes.

We have effectively removed tastes and odors from potable water and also substantially eliminated the B. O. D. of the true solution fraction of organic matter present in a polluted water by treatment with aminated chlorinated coal in accordance with the described process.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a process for the treatment of potable and polluted water, the step of subjecting the water to the action of aminated chlorinated coal.

2. In a process for the treatment of potable and polluted waters, the step of subjecting the water to the action of aminated chlorine derivatives of coal. I

3. A process for the purification of potable waters to remove objectionable tastes and odors comprising treating the potable water with aminated chlorine derivatives of coal.

4. A process for removing phenols, cresols, chlorocresols, and chlorophenols from potable water supplies comprising subjecting the water for a time period not substantially in excess of 20 minutes to the action of aminated chlorinated coal.

5. A process for removing phenols, cresols, chlorocresols, and chlorophenols from potable water supplies comprising subjecting the water for a time period not substantially in excess of 20 minutes to the action of aminated chlorine derivatives of coal.

6. In a process for the purification of water, the step of removing organic materials in solution in the water by passing the water through a filter composed of aminated chlorinated coal.

7. In a process for the purification of water, the step of removing organic materials in solution in the water by passing the water through a filter containing aminated chlorine derivatives of coal.

OLIVER M. URBAIN. WILLIAM R. STEMEN. 

